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Doesn’t wisdom cry out? Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?
Verse 1. Voice. Men are wanting to themselves: they cannot plead ignorance. Calmet.—Wisdom stands on high in the Catholic Church inviting all to virtue and happiness. Worthington.—Some explain this of the light which is communicated to men; but the Fathers apply it to Jesus Christ, some of the expressions regarding his divinity, and others his human nature. Sirach 24.
On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands.
Beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
Verse 3. Doors. Amid disputants, whose eagerness ought to convince us of the preference due to wisdom over all terrestrial concerns. verse 10.
“I call to you men! I send my voice to the sons of mankind.
You simple, understand prudence! You fools, be of an understanding heart!
Hear, for I will speak excellent things. The opening of my lips is for right things.
For my mouth speaks truth. Wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
All the words of my mouth are in righteousness. There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.
They are all plain to him who understands, right to those who find knowledge.
Receive my instruction rather than silver, knowledge rather than choice gold.
Verse 10. Money. They are generally incompatible.
For wisdom is better than rubies. All the things that may be desired can’t be compared to it.
“I, wisdom, have made prudence my dwelling. Find out knowledge and discretion.
Verse 12. Thoughts. All good comes from God, the eternal wisdom, ( Calmet.) which speaks here. Worthington.
The fear of the LORD is to hate evil. I hate pride, arrogance, the evil way, and the perverse mouth.
Counsel and sound knowledge are mine. I have understanding and power.
By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
Verse 15. Things. Power and knowledge are the gift of the Almighty. Romans 12:1. A prince who resembles God the most, is his best present. Pliny in Trajan.
By me princes rule, nobles, and all the righteous rulers of the earth.
I love those who love me. Those who seek me diligently will find me.
With me are riches, honor, enduring wealth, and prosperity.
Verse 18. Glorious. Lit. “proud.” Bible.—But here it only means great. Isaiah 9:15 and 61:6. Riches too commonly nourish pride, and it is very rare to see them joined with justice. Calmet.
My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, my yield than choice silver.
Verse 19. Stone. So the Septuagint translate paz, ( Bible.) which designates a more pure sort of gold. Genesis 2:11. Calmet.
I walk in the way of righteousness, in the middle of the paths of justice,
that I may give wealth to those who love me. I fill their treasuries.
Verse 21. Enrich. Hebrew “grant what is (real goods) an inheritance to them,” and so forth—Treasures. Septuagint add, “with goods. If I announce to you daily occurrences, I will admonish you to number the things of the world,” ( Bible.) and all past events. Calmet.
“The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his work, before his deeds of old.
Verse 22. Possessed. As Christ was with God, equal to him in eternity. John 1. Septuagint “created,” which many of the Fathers explain of the word incarnate, (see Corn. a Lapide. Bossuet) or he hath “placed me,” (Saint Athanasius iii. con. Arian. Euseb.) a pattern of all virtues. The Septuagint generally render kana, “possessed,” as Aquila does here. Calmet.
I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth existed.
Verse 23. Up. Hebrew “anointed.” Septuagint “he founded.” Christ was appointed to be the foundation, on which we must be built. Saint Athanasius iii. Orat.
When there were no depths, I was born, when there were no springs abounding with water.
Verse 24. Conceived. Having yet manifested none of my works. Since the creation, wisdom only seeks to communicate itself to us. Calmet.
Before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was born;
while as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world.
Verse 26. Poles. Hebrew “head or height of the dust of the world.” Bible.—I subsisted with the chaos, before things appeared in their present form. Calmet.—The poles denote the north and south, or the four quarters of the world. Menochius.
When he established the heavens, I was there. When he set a circle on the surface of the deep,
when he established the clouds above, when the springs of the deep became strong,
Verse 28. Sky. Prot. “clouds.” Pagn. “the air.” Vulg. æthera. Septuagint “the clouds above.” Bible.—Moses assigns the higher and lower waters the same origin. Genesis 1:7.
when he gave to the sea its boundary, that the waters should not violate his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
Verse 29. Pass. This is often remarked. Psalms 41:8.—Earth. See Job 38:8. Calmet.
then I was the craftsman by his side. I was a delight day by day, always rejoicing before him,
Verse 30. Forming. Hebrew “one nursed,” ( Calmet.) or nursing, nutritius. Pagn.—He was not an idle spectator.—Playing. With ease and surprising variety. Calmet.
rejoicing in his whole world. My delight was with the sons of men.
Verse 31. Men. God saw that all was good, but delighted most in his own image. Menochius.—He prefers man before all other corporeal creatures. Worthington.—To him alone below he has granted understanding, and a soul capable of virtue. The Son has also assumed our nature. Baruch 3:37.
“Now therefore, my sons, listen to me, for blessed are those who keep my ways.
Hear instruction, and be wise. Don’t refuse it.
Blessed is the man who hears me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my door posts.
For whoever finds me finds life, and will obtain favor from the LORD.
Verse 35. Lord. Wisdom, or Jesus Christ, is our salvation, happiness, and life. Septuagint “and the will is prepared by the Lord.” Saint Augustine often quotes this to prove the necessity of preventing grace. Ep. ccxvii. and clxxxvi. Calmet.
But he who sins against me wrongs his own soul. All those who hate me love death.”
Verse 36. Death. Not in itself, ( Bible.) but by adhering to such things as bring death. Menochius.